A Mudblood at Hogwarts
by Mech Anon
Summary: It's September '91 and Slytherin's Law has kicked in for Hermione Granger and Harry Potter first year students at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
1. Before Hogwarts

A/N: Thank you for reading. If you find any mistakes please tell me. If you're interested in Beta reading for me please contact me.

Constructive Criticism is love. I hope you enjoy.

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Edward Granger was a very typical English man. Like his father before him, he firmly believed that his home was his castle. The intrusion of his daughter Hermione brought chaos to his ordered life and home.

Even once she had finished disrupting her mother's practice she wasn't a normal child. From the day she started nursery Hermione disrupted his life atypically and unacceptably. Edward believed that children should be seen and not heard. He did not believe that every teacher Hermione had should find it necessary to call Lucy and him in to meet with them. That his daughter should be either incapable or unwilling to develop friendships with children her own age.

The only thing Edward felt could be said for the child was at least she was now quiet about her more offensive abnormalities. As an infant that disorder had broken her mother's heart and nerves. If those people hadn't been so secretive he would have got rid of the child then.

The ginger truce that made life bearable at the Granger's was broken on 1st June. Breakfast was disturbed by a massive owl flying through their window and dropping a letter on Hermione's plate. The child immediately paled and began babbling apologies and promises at that she hadn't done anything freakish. Lucy left the table shaking.

"Well, open it. Let us find put what you've done this time." Edward ground out.

With shaking hands she pulled the letter open and quickly scanned the contents. "It's a summon's to be examined. One of them will be here a 9 to collect me."

Edward breathed a sigh of relief when her adoption had fallen through one of those people had told them that id she was accepted in to one of their schools when she turned 11 then they would never have to see each other again. "Go get dressed." Edward ordered cheerfully. The girl stared at him until he enforced the order with the back of his hand.

Hermione reached the top of the stairs holding a small bag of essentials she thought her father would let her take with her as the door bell rang. Edward Granger yanked the door open and scowled out at the motherly woman standing on the door step.

"Good morning Mr Granger." The woman said in a warm tone. "I'm Madame Entwhistle. I'm here to take your daughter to her selection exam. It's-"

"We know what it's for." Edward growled. "You've excepted the brat into one of your schools. It doesn't matter which the misbegotten runt's your responsibility now." He turned as side to bellow at Hermione letting her see Madame Entwhistle's shocked face. "Get! I want you out this house!"

Hermione ran down the stairs as fast as she dared but Edward didn't seem to think she was fast enough grabbing her arm and throwing her bodily from the house. The door slammed behind her and Madame Entwhistle's white face looked down at her.

"Sorry ma'am." Hermione apologised pulling herself to her feet and picking up the bag.

"Oh my-" Madame Entwhistle's discomfort showed despite her efforts and he quickly changed her sentence. "Look at the time. We're going to be late for your exam." She wrapped one strong hand around Hermione's arm and pointed her wand at a brass button.

After a moment in a sickening multicoloured twister they were standing in front of an ornate Tudor building. Madame Entwhistle kept her grip of Hermione's arm and walked quickly through the building to a grand hall laid out as an exam room. Her heels clacked against the floorboards as she stalked through the room looking for Hermione's name. She came to abrupt stop and turned around. "Put your bag down under the table. I will come and take you to the Boarding House after your exam."

Hermione nodded quickly seating herself. Madame Entwhistle left as quickly as she had entered without a backward glance.

Sighing to herself Hermione picked up the quill on her desk and in neat round letters began filling her name, date of birth and parents out on each of the five papers on her desk. It took a long time for the hall to fill and the stern women at the front to call order.

"As you know this is an important day. You all have a guaranteed place at your local school but the result of the tests you sit today will decide whether you will be on of the lucky few to get a place at the prestigious _Ogma Scoil na Draíochta agus Luibheanna, _or _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._" The woman said. "You have until the sand runs out to complete the papers entitled Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. We will then take a break of no more than 15 minutes before handing out the special pens you will need to complete you Genealogy paper. We will break again to collect your exams before beginning you General Knowledge paper. Does anyone have any questions?" The sound of nervous breathing echoed through the room but no one raised their hand. "Then we shall begin."

It was a relief for Hermione to quiet her raging thought and worry about what would happen to her by losing herself in the papers. The Arithmetic paper was easy with thankfully no need for the log tables she had started using this year and the reading was no worse than her eleven plus had been but the essay question for writing was unusual. 'What are the most important things the Ministry must consider when contacting Muggleborn's? Make reference to the Statute of Secrecy and Muggleborn Protection Act' it asked. Hermione raised her head and stared at the hourglass. The Statute of Secrecy was obviously a law that prevented wizards from revelling their magic but she doubted most of the people here would have even heard of the Muggleborn Protection Act let alone what it was. Only a third of the sand remained in the hour glass, absently her hand doodled around the words 'exposure' and 'duty of care'. Shaking her head she began to quickly draft her argument.

Hermione was tired and her fingers cramped by the time the General Knowledge paper was finished. Without the distraction of exams she was beginning to worry about what would happen to her again as she shivered in her too thin blouse in the foyer waiting for Madame Entwhistle to stride up to her.

She was the last person still there when Madame Entwhistle finally arrived. "I've arranged a place for you to stay." she said walking up to Hermione. "Take my hand and make sure you don't let go."

The moment Hermione took her hand a crushing sensation enveloped her ripping the building from her site. When she could see again a worn Victorian terrace was in front of her. Madame Entwhistle marched up the stairs and knocked on the faded blue door.

The woman who opened it looked kind but firm. She ignored Madam Entwhistle to talk Hermione. "Hello Miss Granger. You are our first new resident of the year and will be staying the nursery until your eleventh birthday.

"The Ministry pays a stipend of 2 galleons a year to your guardian. I take 1 galleon board and hold your remaining galleon for you until you turn 15.

"You need to make that money stretch to school uniform and books as well as normal clothes." She took a look at Hermione's small backpack. "I bet you don't have a change if clothes in there."

"No ma'am," Hermione said.

"My name is Mistress Mallory," She replied. "come along we'll break into my emergency stash."

The hand that held Hermione's was warm and firm this time. She gently pulled her into a warm house. All the furniture was old but well cared for and clean. The went into an office with an old amour in the corner. Mistress Mallory opened the door and pulled out second hand dresses. She held them against Hermione until she thought two would fit then started pulling out cardigans the same size and blouses.

With just two dresses, blouses and cardigans Hermione felt spoilt for choice and more cared for than she had ever been before. Mistress Mallory then lead her up to the top floor and a large attic room filled with beds and shelves. She lead Hermione to one. "This will be your room. You have to keep your area clean and do your assigned chores. Breakfast is at 7am, lunch at half twelve and dinner at 6pm. I don't allow fighting." She caught Hermione in a quick impersonal hug. "I'll leave you to get unpacked.

Hermione quickly settled into the routine at Mistress Mallory's. She was the youngest border there and the only one without any magical education which immediately set her apart. The ostracisation only got worse when on 1st July her Hogwarts letter arrived.

That morning Mistress Mallory took her through the winding streets of Ottery St Catchpole to Edgecomb's Emporium to buy what they could of her Hogwarts supplies. The bulk of which Mistress Mallory explained would have to come from The Alleys.

Edgecomb's Emporium was located in an outbuilding of a chaotic farm yard; chickens ran freely under foot, an old collie lounged under a ramshackle cart with two red haired teenage boys sat on top. The outhouse roof dipped alarmingly in the middle, the windows had no glass only wooden shutters open in the bright summers day. The building was packed to the rafters with what seemed to be disordered piles in between which there were three more red heads and a waif like blonde. A boy and two girls about Hermione's age and plump middle aged woman.

"Hogwarts?" The woman asked Mistress Mallory.

"Yes, Hermione made it." Mistress Mallory replied. "Are your youngest two off this year Molly?"

"Yes, I'm so proud of them." Molly said. She caught the two children tight to her. "I'm Molly Weasley, we live over in the Burrow. These are my youngest boy Ron, our only girl Ginny and our neighbour Luna Lovegood. They be joining you at Hogwarts this year."

"Pleased to meet you ma'am" Hermione said politely. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"Why don't you four go outside with Fred and George until Mr Edgecomb comes back with the wands?" Mrs Weasley said.

Ron grabbed her hand and dragged her out before she could comment. "They'll be talking adult stuff and complaining about the cost of robes and things."

"Mistress Mallory is your guardian. It's her responsibility to worry about adult things for now." Luna said dreamily.

"They'll come and get us when Mr Edgecomb comes back with the wands." Ginny cut in.

"I wish we could have new wands." Ron gripped.

"I've read they work much better than second hand wands." Hermione added.

"But they don't cost 7 Galleons." Luna moaned plopping herself down on one cart.

"Edgecomb's has the best selection of second hand wands in Britain." One of the two older boys said draping himself over Hermione and Ron.

"Never fear." The other one said draping himself over Ginny and Luna. "You'll match a wand and be rivalling your brother dears in pranking."

"In you come dears." Mrs Weasley yelled from the door triggering a stampede as Fred and George joined them.

Mr Edgecomb had laid out a spread of wands across the counter on warm supple leather. "Pick up each one in turn give it to me if it reacts. We'll chose the best match."

"Ron you're the oldest you go first." Mrs Weasley nodded to him.

He walked up to the table and gave the first wand a hesitant wave drooping slightly when nothing happened. It took 5 wands for one to react to him shooting light green sparks. "Ash and dragon heartstring not quite try again." Mr Edgecomb told him. Ron went through another 6 wands before picking up an elegantly twisted wand and causing flowers to rain down over Ginny, Luna and Hermione. "Ash and Coral, 13 inches. That's a very good match. Who's next?"

Mrs Weasley nodded at Ginny who giggled and ran up to the counter. The first wand she picked up caused a down pour of water. "I don't think we'll find a better match than that. Hazel and Kelpie Mane. Only 7 inches good for a growing sprout. Next it's?"

Mistress Mallory pushed Hermione lightly forward. The first wand she touched set fire to Mr Edgecomb's beard, the second made a massive bang that made the piles of stuff rock and the third and fourth did nothing at all. "When were you born child?" Mr Edgecomb asked

"19th September 1980 sir." Hermione said worried. He hadn't needed to ask any questions for Ginny or Ron.

"By the celtic calendar vine or bramble. Bramble wands are extremely rare but these are my vine wood wands." He pushed 6 wands forward. "Try those as you were." None of them were brilliant matches but nothing exploded when Hermione touched them. "This one seems to be the best I can do for you young lady." Mr Edgecomb said handing her a plain light wand. "10½ inches, vine wood with a Unicorn tail hair. If you come back next year with that wand in good condition I'll swap you for a better match. Last but definitely not least up you come Luna."

Luna stepped up last grasping the first wand firmly and seeming not to care at all when nothing happened. She blinked slightly when the third she picked up made a sound like a car back firing and quickly put it down. The fifth wand she picked up cast a stream of silver sparks and made her smile. "This one please."

"A good choice Miss Lovegood. That is 16 inches of Willow and Unicorn hair. Perfect for a moon child." Mr Edgecomb smiled and tucked Luna's wild curls behind her ear. "I think that's everyone. That will be two galleons for each wand. Please." Mrs Weasley handed over some robes as well before fishing out 8 galleons from her enormous hand bag.

Mistress Mallory passed over 2 galleons. "I'll be in tomorrow with the rest of my lot for their St James stuff."

Mrs Weasley said suddenly, "You four come here I'll teach you your first two charms. Hold your wands and then turn a tight circle around the top of your heads and slash down." She demonstrated with her own. "The incantation is _esse elegans_, Es-ay Le-gan" They copied her feeling their heads tingle looking around they could see their hair looked neat, clean and more controlled. "And the one you'll find more interesting needs a sharp poke," Mrs Weasley thrust her wand violently forward, "the incantation is _Ffwrdd_, Foo-rth. Try it on that rack" She turned them towards a rack of heavy winter cloaks that thumped satisfactorily against the wall when they copied her. "It's an easy knock back spell. If you ever need to get away from someone cast it. Don't let me hear of you using it in appropriately."

Mrs Weasley smiled. "I'll pick you up on Monday Hermione to go to the Alleys. It was nice to meet you. "


	2. Starting Hogwarts

A\N: Sorry for the wait I was distracted from finishing the next chapter by a rabid plot bunny and I never post if the next chapter isn't written.

Concrit is love and beta offers are gratefully recieved.

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After her successful trip to the Alleys with the Weasleys and Luna, Mistress Mallory sent her scurrying across Ottery St Catchpole most days after her chores. Hermione had spent warm summer days dangling her toes in the stream that ran behind the Rookery, Luna's father's house, while Ron and Luna fished and brisk mornings helping with the chickens. She had laughed as the twins tickled her and learnt when they were planning something. Spent the balmy summer evenings sharing Bill's old runes books with Ginny while Luna and Ron crawled through the tall grasses following Gnomes and Kneazles. She couldn't remember ever being so happy and for the first time in her life she was sadden by the inevitable approach of school.

Mrs Weasley made the best of it she could having Luna and Hermione stay the night and encouraging the cheerful organised chaos of leaving. She laughed as the twins tried to teach them the School song letting Luna and Ron's voices ring out through the crowded muggle station, "Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty, Hogwarts," catching the attention of a small black haired boy with a beautiful snowy owl.

"Excuse me," He asked coming up to them, "Are you… I mean…"

"Hogwarts dear?" Mrs Weasley asked. He nodded emphatically and she broke in to one of her welcoming motherly smiles. "These four will be first years too. Just stand between Ron and Ginny." She tucked him in between them, "You go first Percy." Percy walked quickly up to the wall. The boy blinked and rubbed his eyes. "You five next. It will be fine just keep up with Ron dear."

He fell a little behind us but he was soon staring at platform nine and three quarters. Ron dragged him out of the way before the twins and Mrs Weasley could knock into and he shook himself out of his daze. "Thank you." He said and pulled his trunk on to the train.

Mrs Weasley nudged Percy, "Help him with his trunk dear. Fred, George, get yours on board and then help Ron, Ginny, Luna and Hermione." She said beginning to look damp eyed. The twins disappeared into the scarlet train leaving us with Mrs Weasley. For once she didn't try to fill the silence with any words just ran her hands periodically over our heads her eyes damp and smile slightly crooked.

It looked like she would really break down as the twins came back her smile quivering awfully. Ron looked up at her and threw his arms around her, "We love you mum. I'll look out for the girls. Don't worry."

"Oh," Her face broke into a true smile, "I'm so proud of all of you. My children." She cupped his face, "Thank you Ronnie. Go on you'll miss your train."

We pulled the heavy trunks on to the train and Fred and George helped us through the train until we got to a compartment with just the small black haired boy.

"Can we sit here?" Ginny asked, "Everywhere else is too full for four more."

"Sure" The boy said putting his book away.

"I'm Ron, Ron Weasley," Ron said holding out his hand, "These are my little sister Ginny and our friends Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger."

"I'm Harry Potter." The boy said as we all sat down.

"Really?" Ron asked excitedly, "Do you have the scar?"

"Ron!" Ginny, Luna and Hermione all reached over to punch him. "Don't be rude."

The boy smiled slightly and pushed his messy fringe up. "I guess you all grew up together?" He said with slight longing.

"Gin, me and Luna yeah." Ron answered, "Hermione only moved to our town this summer.

"Is is true that you grew up with goblins?" Luna asked in the dreamy voice she only used when she was trying to wind someone up.

"Lu!" Ginny blushed bright red and pressed into Hermione's shoulder.

"Is that what the books say?" Hermione asked smiling down at Ginny's head..

"Ask Ginny," Ron and Luna both answered giggling.

"I was seven." Ginny retorted sitting back up her face still bright red. "Where did you really grow up?"

"With my muggle aunt and uncle. They don't like magic much." Harry said grimacing.

"Neither do Hermione's parents." Luna said. "The beauty of Slytherin's Law is no muggleborn or muggle raised child returns to their muggle guardians after they start school."

"Slytherin's Law" Harry asked.

"The Muggleborn Protection Act." Hermione said. "Although it also covers muggle raised children. It isn't really wide reaching enough to be called a Protection Act. It's more concerned with the Statute of Secrecy."

"Did you get to read about the houses?" Ron asked changing the subject as Ginny slipped her hand in to Hermione's.

"Just that there are four named after the Founders." Harry answered. "And that they accept students with different traits. I don't know which one I'll be in."

"Our parents and all our brothers were in Gryffindor." Ron said, "We probably will be as well."

"Mummy was in Ravenclaw," Luna said blinking. "I think daddy might have been too."

Ron asked a question about quidditch and soon they were explaining the rules to Harry and he was looking blank as Ron went off on a rant about the Quidditch League and Chudley Cannons with Ginny laughing and interjecting comments about the Harpies league position. Hermione slid one of Bill's books out of her satchel and Luna open a copy of the Quibbler both of them occasionally looking up and commenting when relevant.

They were a quiet happy compartment that the prefects mostly ignored until a blond boy and his two massive sidekicks arrived. "Draco Malfoy." He said, "I heard that Harry Potter was in this compartment."

Luna stood on Ron's foot and Hermione placed her book over Ginny's hand. Harry stood, "That's me, didn't we meet at Madam Malkins?" He asked, "You wanted to drag your father off to look at brooms?"

Draco smiled, "Yeah, father said I have to wait until second year for a new broom but he brought me a new quaffle and gloves for my birthday."

"Cool" Harry answered, "These are Ron and Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger."

Draco seemed to wrestle with himself for a second, "You could have done worse Potter. I hear one of the first years brought a toad and is _looking_ for it! I better be getting back."

"A toad. Bleurgh!" Ginny scrunched her face up, "Even Scabbers would have been better."

"Scabbers?" Harry asked.

"Our brother Percy's old rat. He got an owl when he made prefect and offered him to Ron." Ginny explained.

"I didn't want a pet if Ginny couldn't have one too." Ron added smiling at his sister.

"So Scabbers was retired." Luna finished.

"But only after Percy tried to give him to Lu and me." Hermione said. "He really wanted rid of that rat."

The excitement over she and Luna tucked themselves back into their respective reading materials with Ginny reading over Hermione's shoulder. Ron rolled his eyes and went back to describing the finer points of quidditch to a glazed eyed Harry.

The rest of the train trip passed in quietly and all to soon they were drawing up at Hogsmeade Station. The five tumbled out of the train on Percy's orders leaving their trunks behind to the crush of the dark cold station. A deep loud voice was yelling, "First years, first years to me. Four to a boat."

Following the voice they could see a giant of a man standing head and shoulders above even the tallest student. Harry broke into a wide grin, "That's Hagrid he took me to Diagon Alley." He whispered as they made their way across to Hagrid.

"Our brothers have told us loads about him." Ginny and Ron said in unison.

They came up to giant and he smiled down at Harry his warm black eyes crinkling, "Hi Harry," he said, "made some friends already?" The giant lifted Harry into a boat and gently shoved Ginny, Luna and Ron on too leaving Hermione standing on the bank alone. As the boat self propelled itself across the black lake towards the castle silhouetted on the hill they could see her figure getting smaller.

The small fleet of boats met at a curtain of vines. Hagrid's boat moved easily around them and in front of them, with one large hand he pulled back the curtain and moved across letting the smaller boats through and up to the small natural harbour revealed. The boats pulled themselves out of the water and the awestruck first years clambered out. Luna's wide silver eyes were the only ones that looked behind scanning the crowd for Hermione. Her steps lagged and Ginny and Ron's automatically fell in line causing Hagrid to push them gently along. "Come along."

He crowded them together in front of a massive elaborately carved door and slammed his fist hard against it until a tall black hair woman with her hair in a severe bun opened the door. "First years Professor." He said.

"Come along," She stepped aside expecting them to follow her in to a small room. She stood silently at the front until they had all arrived. "I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of this school. In a short while I will lead you to be sorted in to one of the four houses. Your house will be your family while you are at Hogwarts." She turned to leave and ran her eyes over Harry's messy hair, Ron's smudged nose and Crabbe and Goyle's rumpled robes. "I suggest you make yourselves presentable."

Ginny tugged Ron's shoulder turning him around, "There she is." She started pulling him over the commotion catching Luna's attention and making her hurry over to Hermione, Harry following closely behind. "Hey," Ron rubbed his head and seemed at a loss as to what else to say.

A quick smile flashed across Hermione's face. "It's fine." Then she smirked at Luna and Ginny, "Didn't you hear Professor McGonagall?" She brandished her wand at Ron. "_Esse Elegans_." Ron scowled but his hair flattened itself and smudge on his nose disappeared.

"Now you Harry." Luna's dreamy air made the sight of her wand in Harry's face rather disturbing; the twin smirks on Ginny and Ron's faces and the tingling sensation across his head didn't help.

The girls quickly cast the spell on themselves none too soon as they were joined by four spectres. The ghost's seemed not to have noticed the first years they glided through so consumed by their argument about something called Peeves and floated back out the room without noticing them.

No sooner had the ghosts departed and the first years begun to calm down than Professor McGonagall returned and brought them out to stand in alphabetical order along one wall. She put the tattered hat she had been carrying down on a stall and stood next to it with a scroll in her hands. There was a stilted pause filled with nerves from the first years and eager anticipation from the rest of the school before one of the many seams on the hat broke open and in a deep croaking voice it began to sing.

"I'm going to kill Gred and Forge." Luna said in a very matter of fact tone just loud enough for the first years to hear. "They tried to tell us we would have to wrestle a troll."

"Abbot, Hannah" Professor McGonagall called out. A blonde girl ran forward and jammed the hat on her head. After a few moments it called out "Hufflepuff."

They soon switched off until Hermione's name was called. She walked quickly over to the stall and felt McGonagall place the hat on her head. A quieter version of the croaking voice from before filled her mind, "Interesting, interesting." It said.

"Excuse me," Hermione said quietly, "but where do you keep your brain?"

The hat broke out into loud chortles that echoed through Hermione's mind and she could hear gasps from the hall, "A very clever mind, no one has asked me that for many years." The had said. "I think you would do well in Ravenclaw."

"If you can't answer that question I don't see why I should allow you on my head." Hermione said reaching up to take the hat off.

"With foolhardy bravery like that it has got to be GRYFFINDOR" The hat yelled as Hermione pulled it off.

"Mr Weasley says to never trust a magical object if you don't know where it's brain is." Hermione informed the hat sternly before Professor McGonagall pushed her toward Gryffindor table.

Once she was seated between one of the twins and Percy she looked up at the rest of her year to see Luna, Harry, Ginny and Ron all laughing quietly. They directed warm smiles at her when they saw her looking. "Good girl." Percy whispered quietly into her ear.

Smiling Hermione pressed herself against Gred and chortling with the rest when unfortunate Neville Longbottom ran off with the hat and had to run back to let Luna be sorted. Once the hat was on Luna's head it immediately started commenting out loud, not just "Hmm interesting" but probably arguing with her.

"I can't sort you somewhere you don't belong." It said.

Luna's clear voice rang out, "I want to be with my friends, with my family. What's the point of a House if it breaks up a family?"

"If you're sure…" The hat sounded almost unsure, "It had better be Gryffindor."

Smiling Luna skipped across to join Hermione. "Weasley's are always Gryffindors" She said firmly.

A pretty pair of twins were sorted into Ravenclaw and a pug nosed girl into Slytherin before Harry's name was called. As with Luna and Hermione he seemed to have to argue with the hat before it finally called "Gryffindor" and he stumbled over to the table.

Hermione and Luna separated to let him slip in between them as the twins crowed "We got Potter!"

After Hermione, Harry and Luna's sortings the speed and ease with which Ginny and Ron joined Gryffindor was anticlimactic and Dumbledore's opening words left them convinced he was barmy.


	3. A Stone Capable of Turning Any Metal

Sorry for the delay. I have a beta so I will be reposting these chapters after she gets done with them in massively improved form.

Concrit is love.

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"It's not that different from the Burrow." Hermione mused the morning before their first flying lesson her left hand absently spinning her spoon through her porridge. The first few weeks at Hogwarts had passed in a dizzy happy blur of classes, homework, backfiring wands and getting lost. To be honest the backfiring was mostly Hermione and the twins who were equally poorly matched and the getting lost could be placed firmly at Luna and Harry's feet.

"How so?" Harry asked.

After a pause Ginny answered, "Luna, Hermione and I still share a room."

"I'm still the twins' favourite test subject." Ron added.

Ginny turned to glower at her brothers who raised their hands in surrender. "Pax" One twin said.

"We've been too busy trying to keep up in classes with these wands." The other twin continued, he shook his wand causing the whole table to reflexively duck.

"Can't understand it." The first twin said once everyone sat back up. "They kind of worked last year."

"Puberty." Percy pulled the twins wands from their unresisting hands. "It changes your magic. Are they working at all?"

"Not even Lumos." The twins said mournfully.

"Then it won't matter if you don't have them." Percy told them, "Now I believe first years have their first flying lessons." He gently hurried them out of the Great Hall.

"And Percy still tries to be our mum." Hermione finished her train of thought as they left the castle.

Gryffindors and Slytherins had previously only shared potions classes to both their relief and their teachers so they had barely interacted; the expected grudges not yet fully formed. Still they spilt along house boundaries with Neville and Daphne nominated to stand at the shared centre.

Madame Hooch's instructions seemed to expect a familiarity with broom flight or a natural aptitude. Sally-Anne, Millicent and Neville struggled to even bring their brooms to their hands. Hermione whispered the twins instructions over the summer to Dean standing next to her. Looking along the row Draco was quietly showing Millicent, Daphne exaggerating her movements next to Neville and Lavender gently guiding Sally-Anne. Once they all had their broomsticks hovering by their hands Madame Hooch told them to mount their brooms and strode up and down the row of first years correcting their grips and mounting with an air of furious disappointment that her commands had not been sufficient instruction.

She was glowering furiously once she was satisfied with them. "When I blow my whistle kick off the ground hard." She said, "Keep your broom steady, rise a few feet and then come straight back down by leaning slightly forwards."

Taking a deep breath everyone waited until her whistle sounded then kicked off. The old school brooms either didn't seem to want to move, pulled to one side or jerked under their riders commands. In Neville's case rather than hover 3ft above the ground it kept rising gaining speed as it rose; Neville's pale scared face looking down at them until the broom was at about 30ft then the broom bucked once. Neville slipped. Dropped like a rock to land with a sickening crack.

Madame Hooch did not seem overly concerned about Neville's broken wrist or about supervising her class telling them to stay where they were until she got back. Draco rolled his eyes at her and dismounted his broom encouraging Millicent to do the same. "Father has been after the Board of Governors to replace the brooms for years." He said as the rest of the class dismounted. "I'll write to him at lunch. Now he's a governor this is sure to be enough reason."

Daphne walked across the grass to a glass ball glinting in the autumn sun. "Is this Neville's?" She asked holding it up so the Gryffindors could see it.

"It's a rememberall." Seamus spoke up, "His gran sent it to him this morning."

"Well give it back to him once Madame Pomfrey releases him." Daphne threw it to Seamus

When Neville hadn't returned to Gryffindor tower after dinner Ron convinced the others that they needed to go and find him. They were required by Percy's watchful eye and the twin's less watchful but shared protectiveness to wait until he had gone out on prefect rounds and Lee had distracted the twins with a new prank before sneaking out the portrait hole. They stumbled almost immediately upon Neville trying to sleep curled up on the stone floor.

"I forgot the password." Neville admitted. "I've been waiting for someone to come by."

They turned as a group to the portrait and groaned as they saw a blank canvas. Seconds later they heard Flitch grumbling. "Run." Harry said grabbing the nearest hands to him and pulling them along.

The group tore through the hallways hearing Flitch's groaning, Prefects and Peeves on their tails until they came to a locked door. They could hear Flitch coming closer and the beyond the door the corridor was a dead end. Pushing to the front Hermione muttered a spell under her breath and pushed the door open. "The twins taught me." She said at Ginny's curious look.

They pressed up against the door holding it closed with their weight and catching their breaths until Ron opened his eyes. "Uh." He gulped.

"A three headed dog." Harry whispered.

"It's a cerberus." Luna breathed walking forwards, "They love children and music." She offered her fist to each of the heads in turn then moved to stroke the massive dog. "They're the gentlest dogs."

Watching the cerberus drool on her the others came forward and offered willing hands to rub itchy spots and provide all the love a lonely cerberus could require.

It was quite late and the cerberus fast asleep when they left. "Someone hasn't been taking proper care of him." Luna said, "We will have to go back tomorrow." She nodded once.

"Someone's using it to guard something." Ron muttered darkly.

"It's a school!" Hermione's exclamation was shrill. "If you need a THREE headed dog to guard something it shouldn't be in a school."

Luna, Ginny and Hermione shared a dorm with two other girls. Sally Anne, a quiet mousey girl who was extremely disappointed not to have been sorted in to Hufflepuff with her best friend Hannah, and Lavender, a bubbly, chatty blonde who was knocked off centre by Luna's dreamy ignorance of Lavender's point of view, Ginny's tomboy nature and Hermione's quiet snubs.

If she had shared with the Patil twins, Morag or Daphne they would have been close friends in hours but in Gryffindor tower she was growing quieter and stiller everyday drawing Percy Weasley's smothering concern. With childish insensitivity her Gryffindor year mates surrounded her trying to draw her in to their pick up football matches, homework groups and after curfew exploration of the castle.

Her silence came to a head during charms on Halloween. Her once cheerful voice barely whispered the charm before her shoulders drooped. Her partner Ron blew, " You're not even trying. You act like you're so much better than us." he bellowed.

She quivered slightly and began to cry. Luna slid from her desk and wrapped a slim arm around her shoulders whispering to her. Hermione turned to Ron. "Like you can talk! You've only tried once and set the feather on fire!"

"Not all of us can be geniuses." Ron responded, "Honestly, it's no wonder your parents didn't want you" Hermione flew out the room tears pouring down her face. His normally cheerful face rigid with fury Professor Flitwick gave up on controlling the class and dismissed them early.

Ron didn't seem to be too worried until they settled down to the Halloween feast with no Hermione. Then he began to fret his face so pale his freckles stood out and he pushed his food around his plate. His anxiety wasn't helped by Ginny and Luna's decision not to speak to him until he apologised to Hermione. When Professor Qurriell burst into the hall yelling about a troll he looked like he would faint.

"Perce." He hissed, "Percy. Please Percy." Ron said trying to catch his attention but Percy was busy with the unenviable task of herding the twins, their year mates and the second years. "Hermione doesn't know. We've got to tell her."

Seeing he wasn't going to get any help from the prefects and the teachers had all left he sprinted from the room, Harry, Ginny and Luna barely managing to keep sight of him. They were still at the stairs when he disappeared into the bathroom Hermione was crying in.

"What's that smell?" Harry asked.

"The troll." Luna looked as pale as Ron had. "It's coming this way."

"Quick." Ginny ran into the bathroom waiting until Harry and Luna were inside before she slammed the door. "Coloportus."

A thump rattled the door. "Oh blast. It's trying to knock the door down." Luna's calm felt slightly absurd.

They huddled together at the back of the room. Ron still whispering apologies and vows that Hermione was his sister and the Weasley's wanted her as the troll smashed the door open and the troll began to lurch over to them.

Each step the troll took spread vibrations through the floor. Faces pale Ginny and Harry stood at the front of the group wands clutched tight in their hands. Ron pushed Hermione and Luna back stepping up in the middle behind Harry and Ginny his wand drawn.

They stood silent as the troll grew closer smashing sinks and stalls on his approach.

Voice shaking Harry spoke, "Wingardium Leviosa"

The troll's club twitched in his great claw of a hand. "Join him!" Luna's urgent voice broke the apprehensive silence. "We have to join him."

"Remember what Mrs Weasley taught us." Hermione said. "Raise the club and knock him back."

As one Harry, Ginny and Ron's voices cried out, "Wingardium Leviosa!" in the same moment Luna and Hermione joined them, "Ffwrdd!" The club rose above the troll's head as it stumbled backwards mid step. Their wands dropped and the club crashed down on the troll's head toppling it. Professors McGonagall and Snape arrived as the troll's landing rattled the debris.

"What is going on here?" McGonagall's stern voice broke the stunned silence.

"It's my fault-" Hermione and Ron spoke simultaneously.

"No it's my fault." Ron's voice was a pale imitation of Mrs Weasly's but it worked. "I called- I said something unforgivable about Hermione. She ran off crying and didn't know about the troll. We tried to tell the prefects but they were busy." His explanation halted.

"You are unbelievably lucky." Professor McGonagall shook her head. "Come on with me. I'm sure your brothers are worried about you."


End file.
